Ecuador Intensifies Crackdown on Drug Violence with Massive Military Deployment

Mon Mar 16 2026 21:11:59 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In an aggressive effort to combat escalating drug-related violence, Ecuador has deployed over 75,000 soldiers and police officers to enforce strict regulations in the most affected provinces.

Ecuador's Interior Minister has announced a significant military mobilization as part of a renewed strategy against violent drug gangs, declaring a nighttime curfew in regions severely impacted by crime. Despite ongoing efforts by President Daniel Noboa's administration, the nation has seen a record increase in homicide rates. As part of a wider alliance to tackle drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere, Ecuador is adapting its approach to maintain control amid its critical geographical positioning between Colombia and Peru.

The Ecuadorean government has deployed more than 75,000 police officers and soldiers to four of the country's most violence-wracked provinces, according to the interior minister.

The authorities have also declared a night-time curfew in these areas as part of a new phase in their war on criminal gangs.

Since coming to office in November 2023, President Daniel Noboa has sought to quell drug-related violence but nevertheless, Ecuador recorded a record murder rate in 2025.

Noboa has also joined a US-led alliance of 17 countries aimed at fighting criminal cartels in the Western Hemisphere.

We're at war, Ecuadorean Interior Minister John Reimberg told residents of the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. Don't take any risks, don't go out, stay at home, he added.

Ecuador's geographical location - sandwiched between Colombia and Peru, the world's largest producers of cocaine - has turned it into a key transit country for the illicit drug.

Around 70% of the cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru is estimated to be shipped through Ecuador.

Noboa's government has been collaborating with the administration of US President Donald Trump to reduce the flow of cocaine from Ecuador to the US.

Last week, the FBI opened its first office in Ecuador, which follows joint counter-narcotic operations launched by the two nations.

Noboa participated in an international meeting hosted by Trump where they discussed military efforts against criminal organizations. During this summit, Trump called for military action against gangs, labeling them a cancer.

Following the meeting, Noboa shared on social media his resolve against drug trafficking, stating, For too long, the mafias thought they could cross borders and spread violence without consequences. Their time has run out.

Despite these strategies, the murder rate surged by over 30% between 2024 and 2025, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced in combating criminal activities.